Operation Moshtarak: three more civilians killed in Afghanistan

Nato troops and their Afghan colleagues involved in Operation Moshtarak have
suffered another blow after three more civilians were killed in the campaign
against the Taliban.

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A US marine platoon patrols farmland in Trikh Nawar on the northeast of MarjahPhoto: AFP/GETTY IMAGES

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Afghan President Hamid Karzai approved the assault on Marjah only after instructing Nato and Afghan commanders to do their utmost to avoid harming civiliansPhoto: AFP/GETTY IMAGES

7:27AM GMT 16 Feb 2010

The deaths - in three separate incidents - come after two US missiles struck a house on the outskirts of the town of Marjah on Sunday, killing 12 people, half of them children. Three others killed in the house were identified as Taliban fighters by local authorities.

About 15,000 Afghan troops and Nato troops - including British soldiers 9 are taking part in the massive offensive around Marjah.

The offensive is the biggest joint operation since US troops arrived in Afghanistan in 2001.

In two of the most recently reported incidents, Afghan men came toward NATO forces and ignored shouts and hand signals to stop, NATO said. Troops opened fire and killed them.

In the third incident, two Afghan men were caught in the crossfire between insurgents and Nato forces. Both were wounded and one died of his injuries despite being given medical care, Nato said.

Taliban fighters have stepped up counterattacks against Marines and Afghan soldiers in Marjah, slowing the allied advance to a crawl

Afghan President Hamid Karzai approved the assault on Marjah only after instructing Nato and Afghan commanders to do their utmost to avoid harming civilians. "This operation has been done with that in mind," the top Nato commander, US Gen Stanley McChrystal, said Monday.

Nevertheless, Nato announced on Sunday, that two rockets had veered off target and slammed into a home.

The head of the armed forces, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, decribed the missile strike a "very serious setback" .